The nephew of a beloved pensioner killed by a hit-and-run driver in a stolen car has described the culprit as 'callous and despicable'. Paul Marson said his uncle John Marson, 79, was an 'essential part of his community' whose loss has deeply affected many.
John was described as quiet and gentle, someone who asked little but gave generously to those in need. Career criminal Tyrone Clarke, 51, was sentenced to six years and nine months at Birmingham Crown Court on June 12 after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing death while driving uninsured, and handling stolen goods.
The fatal crash
On November 4 last year, Clarke was speeding along Highters Heath Lane in Kings Heath in a stolen Toyota. The night was dark and heavily rain-soaked. Mr Marson, holding an umbrella, looked repeatedly before stepping into the road. Clarke, driving at around 45mph in a 30mph zone, struck him.
The force threw Mr Marson onto the bonnet and roof of the car. Clarke braked, throwing the victim onto the opposite side of the road, where he came to rest partly on the pavement. Despite efforts from an off-duty paramedic and doctor, Mr Marson died at the scene from extensive head and chest injuries, including broken legs, spine, ribs, and a punctured lung.
Clarke did not stop. He dumped the car nearby and initially walked back towards the crash scene, but upon seeing an ambulance, he turned around and went to a Sainsbury's, where he called a taxi. During the journey home, he fell asleep.
Criminal record and sentencing
Clarke, from Gisborne Gardens, Evesham, had 94 previous convictions. The stolen Toyota was taken from a Birmingham address earlier that day and fitted with cloned plates. Fingerprints and DNA linked him to the vehicle, and CCTV tracked his movements.
When arrested, he asked police: 'Death by dangerous driving, who's told you that?' His defence lawyer cited difficulties with neurodivergency and addiction as root causes of his criminal record.
Judge Roderick Henderson said: 'There is nothing I can say or do that could begin to put the clock back and put this right for the family.' Clarke was also banned from driving for seven years from his release.
